An active community east of the Rideau River in Ottawa.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

The office of Councillor Clark will be closed on Monday, June 30 and will reopen on Wednesday, July 2.

– Free Transit all day on Canada Day

– City provides health and safety tips for Canada Day celebrations

– Ottawa ramps up for 2017 celebrations

Free transit all day on Canada Day

Transit is the best option for travelling to Canada Day festivities downtown and across the city, with free service all day on OC Transpo and Para Transpo. A special holiday schedule will operate on July 1, with additional service during the day and after the fireworks.

· Many more spaces will be available courtesy of the following shopping centres: Billings Bridge, Carlingwood, Place d’Orléans and South Keys, as well as Algonquin College, Carleton University and Canada Post (Heron/Riverside).

Leave early and arrive on time

· Due to the large downtown crowds, plan to leave home by 7 p.m. to arrive in time for the fireworks.

· Mackenzie King Bridge will be closed to pedestrians after 7 p.m., so passengers cannot be picked up or dropped off at that station in the evening.

· After the fireworks downtown, buses will be available on Slater, Albert, and Bank Streets.

· The last local buses will depart transit stations at around 11:30 p.m. or midnight.

Free Shuttle between Ottawa and Gatineau

· Buses operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. between the National Art Gallery and Jacques-Cartier Park.

Information on July 1

· OC Transpo’s Sales and Information office in the Rideau Centre will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

· An OC Transpo information booth will be located at Confederation Square from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The O-Train will run throughout the day and all evening until midnight. The following routes will not operate on July 1: 101, 107, 120, 123, 137, 150, 151, 161, 173, 178, 202 and all peak period routes. Visit octranspo.com or octranspo.mobi for holiday schedules. On Wednesday, July 2, the O-Train will resume its revised summer schedule with adjusted evening service ending at 10 p.m.

The Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) will be providing free service after 10 p.m. on July 1.

Further information is available by calling OC Transpo Information at 613-741-4390 (open July 1 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.) and by visiting octranspo.com.

With all of the Canada Day activities taking place, residents are encouraged to use transit, walking or cycling for travel.

The City of Ottawa has tools on ottawa.ca to help motorists and transit users plan their routes:

· Drink slowly – have no more than two drinks in any three hour period

· For every drink of alcohol, have one non-alcoholic drink

· Eat before and while you are drinking

· Always plan for a safe way home. Consider taking OC Transpo or a City-licensed taxi.

For more information, or for more tips, visit ottawa/ca or call 3-1-1.

Ottawa ramps up for 2017 celebrations

To help promote Ottawa’s big plans for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, the City will be adding Ottawa 2017 decals to City vehicles and will be partnering with local artists to paint murals across the city.

“Ottawa is getting in the spirit of 2017,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “With only thirty months to go, now is the time to start showing the world that there will be no better place to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. These new initiatives will remind residents and visitors of the big celebration yet to come, and will encourage everyone to get involved in planning Canada’s big year.”

There will be 800 vehicles in the City’s fleet that will receive special decals promoting Ottawa 2017 and the project’s website, ottawa2017.ca. The vehicles selected will be among the most visible ones in the fleet, providing services in every community.

The first two murals, to be located on Metcalfe Street at the 417 underpass and on Riverside Drive at the Bronson Street Bridge, will include two installations each. Both will include a 2017 themed mural painted by renowned local artist Nicole Belanger. Each will also include a unique mural that will be specific to the community and depict local culture, history or visions of artistic expression.

“Outdoor murals are effective in reducing graffiti, supporting local arts and culture and economic development,” said Councillor Katherine Hobbs, who co-chairs the Ottawa 2017 Task Force with Councillor Rainer Bloess. “I look forward to seeing these first murals in place, and to introducing more murals around the city in the years leading up to 2017.”

“I am excited by the momentum we are building for 2017,” said Councillor Bloess. “We have already seen excellent participation from residents through initiatives like the Ottawa 2017 Ideas Forum and our suggestion box and online ballot. Hopefully residents will see these new signs of the coming celebration and take the time to contribute their suggestions or begin planning to host friends and family during this historic occasion.”

Residents may continue to submit their ideas for 2017 on the Ottawa 2017 website or by sharing their ideas on Twitter using the hashtag #Ottawa2017, commenting on the City’s Facebook page, or at the 2017 Ideas Box located next to the Information Desk in City Hall.